Wrong Side of Patient's Bowel Removed In Botched Operation Under Investigation

A cancer patient has been forced to undergo corrective surgery after surgeons at Sydney's Northern Beaches Hospital removed the wrong side of his bowel.

The botched operation has been blamed on an error in the patient's pathology report, which was supplied by a private provider.

"Northern Beaches Hospital has recently advised NSW Health of a serious event involving surgery on a patient," NSW health minister Brad Hazzard said in a statement.

"In such situations, there are investigative processes and those must proceed to their conclusion before any further comment can be made."

"The patient’s privacy must also be respected," he continued.

Stock image. Photo: Getty

The male patient was undergoing colorectal surgery at the hospital last week when the mistake was made, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

The patient returned to the same hospital on Friday to undergo corrective surgery, but it's not yet known whether the incident will have an impact on his long-term health.

The brand new $600 million public-private hospital in Frenchs Forest has been marred with controversy since it opened late last year.

Photo: Northern Beaches Hospital via Facebook

Several high-ranking staff resigned within the opening eight months.

The NSW government will hold a parliamentary inquiry into the operation and management of the hospital. Current and former hospital workers will give evidence from next month, with the inquiry to officially launch in August.